Topics Related to Sec. Susan Kluttz

Photo: From left to right, Tryon Palace director Philippe Lafargue; Sec. Susan Kluttz; state Reps. Bert Jones, Stephen Ross and Michael Speciale; state Sen. Ron Rabin; and state Reps. Larry Pittman, Pat Hurley and Michele Presnell

Tryon Palace was again in the spotlight last month as Gov. Pat McCrory, Sec. Susan Kluttz and site interim director Philippe Lafargue hosted a number of legislators in New Bern last month.

Public records are one of the most important assets that are state has. They document how our government works, tell the history of our state and ensure that all of our rights are protected. Sec. Susan Kluttz got the chance to address municipal and county clerks–the people who do the “heavy lifting” to make sure that those records are managed properly—at a recent meeting.

Despite the not-so-friendly skies outside, Sec. Susan Kluttz joined a large crowd of people from 13 different states to dedicate a new museum to banjo innovator Earl Scruggs in Shelby in early January.The Cleveland County native and famous bluegrass musician is perhaps best known for his unique three-finger picking style and for elevating the banjo from a rhythm instrument to a lead instrument. Today, the banjo is played all over the world, and its popularity can be traced back to Earl Scruggs and North Carolina.

Last week, Sec. Kluttz joined Governor Pat McCrory, Lt. Gov. Dan Forest, the Cabinet and fellow State employees for a service of reflection, music and celebration honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. at First Baptist Church on Salisbury Street in Raleigh.

“Mayor. Pat. I want you to be my secretary of cultural resources.”

That’s how Sec. Susan Kluttz was asked to lead the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources by Gov. Pat McCrory more than year ago, and in a speech to the Salisbury Rotary Club earlier this month, the Secretary emphasized how her 14-year term as mayor of that city inspires her work today.

Though the weather outside was frightful, that didn’t stop Sec. Susan Kluttz from joining a record crowd at Tryon Palace’s delightful Christmas Candlelight event Saturday evening.Tryon Palace’s Christmas program has long been a New Bern favorite, but this year’s theme, “Seasons of the Delight,” has taken it to a new level. Each room on the Palace’s first floor is decorated in the style of a different season of the year, and interpreters bring the building alive as it would have been for a masquerade ball hosted by Gov. Josiah Martin.

Sec. Kluttz with Director of Regional Museums Bill McCrea and the members of Tryon Palace's Jonkonnu troupe
 

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Sec. Kluttz with Historic Sites staff members Jim Steele, Jeremiah DeGennaro, John Moseley, Andrew Duppstadt and David Sheaffer; State Archives staff member Chris Meekins; and Fort Fisher volunteer Walter James
 

Secretary Kluttz and N.C. humorist Jeanne Robertson